


Whispers in the Dark

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-09
Updated: 2014-10-09
Packaged: 2018-02-20 11:18:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2426807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You should smile more, Hotch.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whispers in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> written for the prompt **underneath your clothes**.

“Emily!” Hotch came running around the corner when he heard the gunshot.“Prentiss!”

 

She fell down the elevator shaft just as the Unsub turned on Hotch.He pulled the trigger, once, twice, three times, watching the bastard crumble and fall.Hotch moved toward him slowly, gun cocked and ready to kill.His mind was on fire, screaming **GET TO PRENTISS!** He kicked the gun away from the Unsub before leaning into the shaft to see where Emily fell.Grabbing his flashlight from his hip, Hotch trained it down.He saw her body, unmoving, countless floors down.

 

“Prentiss?”

 

She did not respond.Landing on large piles of material might have saved her life.If she was still alive.He had to get to her immediately.Hotch could see blood coming from the wound and spreading across the dirty cloths.

 

“Emily!”

 

She didn’t move an inch.He tried to radio for help but between the storm outside and being inside an old textile mill, the signal was not cooperating.The team was somewhere around, along with New Hampshire State Police, but the area they covered was vast.Hotch had no idea how long it would take for someone to find the two of them.Damn her and Morgan for splitting up.

 

Checking the Unsub for signs of life and finding none, Hotch holstered his gun.He got down on his knees and felt around for the ladder.The climb down into the near darkness was long but he didn’t care.Hotch made sure to hold on tight, flashlight in his teeth; he did not need for them both to end up severely injured.

 

“Emily?” he turned her around; saw the blood.The damn bullet went straight through the strap of her bulletproof vest.It was a shoulder wound; Hotch hoped the main artery wasn't clipped.He had seen that wound kill people in the line more than once.

 

“Emily?”

 

“Hotch…” her eyes slowly focused.“I'm not dead.”

 

“You wouldn’t be looking at my ugly mug if you were.” He tried to sound calmer than he felt.

 

“You're such a handsome man.” She whispered, wearing a faint smile as she caressed his face.

 

“I have to get you out of this vest and that shirt.I need to see what kind of damage the bullet did.”

 

“Mmm hmm.” Emily started to fade out again.

 

“Hey, hey, stay with me.Emily, you gotta stay with me.”

 

Hotch gingerly pulled the Velcro apart, pushing the vest open.Emily grimaced and bit down on her lip.There was hardly enough light as he pulled her shirt out of her slacks.

 

“I'm not going to lie, this is going to hurt.I'm sorry.”

 

She nodded, the tears slid down her face as he started the slow task of taking her shirt over her head.The bra strap was burnt through; Hotch peeled the bra back and looked at the wound.It was bleeding profusely right now, but it was not a main artery shot.He was not a doctor but he was sure of that.Still, they needed to get out of that shaft and get her to a hospital.Until then, Hotch would do what he could to slow the bleeding.

 

“That’s Max Mara.” Emily groaned, watching him tear her pink v-neck shirt directly on the seam.

 

“I don’t give a damn, and I know that you don’t either.I’ll blame your complaining on delirium from blood loss.”He tied the tourniquet tight and Emily cried out.She gripped his thigh.

 

“Is it…is it really bad?” she whispered.

 

“What?Emily?Emily…” Hotch hit her face harder than he meant to.She was faint, cold, and if she lost more blood, hysteria could set in.

 

“I'm here.I feel woozy, Hotch.”

 

“We are going to get out of here, I promise.”He sat behind her on the large mound of material, her head resting in his lap.It was better to keep her on her back…sitting her up might cause more blood loss.“You need to stay awake.”

 

“I'm cold.”

 

“Its cold down here.” Hotch changed channels on the walkie-talkie but nothing happened.“Is anyone up there?Hey, we’re in the shaft!Hey!Help us!”

 

His voice bounced off the walls but no one replied.He looked down at Emily, her eyes half-shut.Hotch started grabbing up material that didn’t have blood on it.It was dirty so he made sure not to touch her wound but he bundled her up as best he could.She shivered against him.

 

“Why did you join the FBI?” he asked, tenderly rubbing her arms.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“We actually have some time to make conversation.Tell me why you joined the FBI?”

 

“It’s my dad’s fault.” Emily replied.“He introduced my sister and I to classic films when I was about ten.Women were femme fatales, cheeky dames, or victims.I wanted to be like Barbara Stanwyck but with Rosalind Russell’s wit and timing.”

 

“That’s a good plan.” Hotch worked the walkie-talkie again but the result was the same.“So, what fascinated you about Barbara Stanwyck?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Barbara Stanwyck, Emily.Tell me about her.”

 

“She was my hero but I didn’t want to…”

 

“Come on Emily, you have to stay with me.” he kept rubbing her arms, praying she would warm up.

 

“I didn’t want to be the criminal.I wanted to solve the mystery dressed impeccably and teamed with Cary Grant.”

 

“Like Eva Marie Saint?” Hotch asked.

 

“They're going to find us, right Hotch?”

 

“Yeah.Hey!” he shouted again.“Morgan!Rossi!Anybody!We’re down in the shaft!Help us!”

 

He heard nothing but his own echo and the wind blowing in the shaft.He wasn’t too warm himself and really didn’t know how far down they were.Hotch knew that he could not let Emily get worried.

 

“Cary Grant has a cleft chin.” He said, knowing he had to keep talking.

 

“He is so handsome.” Emily said.“He's handsome with a wicked sense of humor…my kinda man.You should smile more.”

 

“What?”

 

“You should smile more, Hotch.”

 

“This is not the time to smile.I smile at home.”

 

“I don’t get to see that.”

 

“I will make you a deal.When we get out of this damn shaft, I will make you dinner.I believe chicken Alfredo is your favorite.I am actually quite good with pasta.So I will make your favorite food and we’ll watch _His Girl Friday_.How does that sound?”

 

“Like a date.Don’t forget the Pinot Grigio.”

 

“You got it.”

 

“Hotch!”

 

“Rossi!We’re in the shaft!”

 

He could hear Rossi’s rushing footfalls; it sounded like a herd of buffalo.The veteran FBI agent leaned down and so did SA Derek Morgan.

 

“Are you two alright?” Derek asked.

 

“Emily has a gunshot wound.She’s lost a lot of blood.Get an ambulance and get us out of here.”

 

Derek nodded, rushing off while talking into his walkie-talkie.Rossi looked down again; he could only see them from the light Hotch’s flashlight let off.

 

“Are you alright, Hotch?” he asked.

 

“I'm fine…Daniels is dead.I shot him.”

 

“The ambulance is on its way.We are going to get you guys out of there.”

 

“Thank God.” Hotch mumbled.He looked down to see the blood coming through the makeshift tourniquet.They were running out of time.“Just a few more minutes Emily.” he stroked her thick raven hair.

 

“They’re coming?”

 

“They're here.The ambulance is coming.”

 

“I'm so glad you're with me.” She reached her uninjured hand back and groped for Hotch’s.He took a firm hold.“You're one in four people I’d want to have my back when the shit hits the fan.”

 

“I'm honored.”

 

“I know things got weird between us…”

 

“Don’t talk about that now,” Hotch squeezed her hand.“They're not weird.”

 

“Don’t lie to me Hotch.If you lie to me, I might get scared I'm dying.”

 

“You are not dying.” He said firmly.“And maybe things got weird.I…I never meant for that to happen between us.Not _that_ that, Emily, I mean the weird thing.I like you, I mean…”

 

“Uh uh,” she shook her head slowly.“No take backs.I like you too and that’s probably why I always end up saying goofy things and why I got all weird after that night.”

 

“You don’t say goofy things.And we both got weird.”She did say goofy things sometimes but Emily Prentiss was the model of professionalism and damn good at her job.Perhaps Hotch should tell her that more often.“You still like me even though I don’t look like Cary Grant?”

 

“No one looks like Cary Grant.In a good suit though, you would be my first choice.Did I say I liked you?”

 

“Yeah, you did.Rest now; don’t fade out, just rest.Help is on the way.”

 

She squeezed his hand.Hotch held her hand to his lips and kissed it, only thinking after about the implication of the gesture.Not caring anymore, he did it again.When the EMTs arrived, one climbed down into the shaft and two others lowered the gurney down to assist.His flashlight was much better than Hotch’s; they were able to get Emily up and strapped on the gurney with minimal pain to her.Hotch climbed the ladder slowly behind the EMT so she would not be alone as they hoisted her up to safety.

 

“I'm right behind you, Prentiss!” Hotch exclaimed when they were back in the light.

 

“What happened?” Rossi asked.

 

Hotch looked around at all the activity in the mill.Where the hell was everyone when that psychopath was sneaking up on Emily?

 

“Daniels got the jump on Prentiss.Whatever bullets he used pierced her bulletproof vest.She has a nasty shoulder wound but it could have been worse.I shot him, three times.” Hotch handed Rossi his gun.“Someone will want this.If anyone needs me, I’ll be at the hospital with Prentiss.”

 

“Go.” Rossi patted his back and Hotch took off running.

 

He seemed to be chasing after more than his injured colleague.There was too much work to do at the scene for Dave to think about that.Both Hotch and Prentiss could handle whatever came at them, bullets and everything else.

 

***


End file.
